Background and aims

we know little about clinical outcomes of arterial calcifications. This study investigates the risk factors of intracranial artery calcifications and its association with cardiovascular disease and cognitive function.

Methods

patients were recruited from a Dutch memory clinic, between April 2009 and April 2015. The intracranial internal carotid artery (iICA) and basilar artery were analysed on the presence of calcifications. Calcifications in the iICA were also assessed on severity and location in the tunica intima or tunica media. Using logistic regression, risk factors of intracranial artery calcifications were analysed, as well as the association of these calcifications with cardiovascular disease, cognitive function and type of cognitive disorder (including subjective cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment and dementia). Cognitive function was assessed with the Cambridge Cognitive Examination.

Results

1992 patients were included (median age: 78.2 years, ±40% male). The majority of patients had calcifications in the iICA (±95%). Basilar artery calcifications were less prevalent (±8%). Risk factors for cerebral intracranial calcifications were age (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (medial iICA, p = 0.004), hypertension (intimal iICA, p < 0.001) and basilar artery, p = 0.019) and smoking (intimal iICA, p = 0.008). iICA calcifications were associated with stroke and intimal calcifications also with myocardial infarction. Intracranial artery calcifications were not associated with cognitive function or type of cognitive disorder.

Conclusion

the majority of memory clinic patients had intracranial artery calcifications. Cardiovascular risk factors are differentially related to medial or intimal iICA calcifications. iICA calcifications were associated with myocardial infarction and stroke, but not with cognitive outcomes.

中文翻译：

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颅内动脉钙化：危险因素及其与心血管疾病和认知功能的关联

背景和目标

我们对动脉钙化的临床结果知之甚少。本研究探讨颅内动脉钙化的危险因素及其与心血管疾病和认知功能的关系。

方法

患者于 2009 年 4 月至 2015 年 4 月从荷兰记忆诊所招募。颅内颈内动脉 (iICA) 和基底动脉对钙化的存在进行了分析。iICA 中的钙化也评估了内膜或中膜的严重程度和位置。采用逻辑回归分析颅内动脉钙化的危险因素，以及这些钙化与心血管疾病、认知功能和认知障碍类型（包括主观认知障碍、轻度认知障碍和痴呆）的关系。认知功能通过剑桥认知考试进行评估。

结果

包括 1992 名患者（中位年龄：78.2 岁，±40% 男性）。大多数患者的 iICA 有钙化（±95%）。基底动脉钙化不太普遍（±8%）。脑颅内钙化的危险因素是年龄（p < 0.001）、糖尿病（内侧 iICA，p = 0.004）、高血压（内膜 iICA，p < 0.001）和基底动脉，p = 0.019）和吸烟（内膜 iICA，p = 0.008)。iICA 钙化与中风有关，内膜钙化也与心肌梗死有关。颅内动脉钙化与认知功能或认知障碍类型无关。

结论

大多数记忆门诊患者有颅内动脉钙化。心血管危险因素与 iICA 内膜或内膜钙化有不同的相关性。iICA 钙化与心肌梗死和中风有关，但与认知结果无关。